In nature
Added 2024-07-06 09:12:13 +0000 UTCBreastfeeding is a learned
behavior.
In nature, young females observe the older females caring for and breastfeeding their babies; this experience helps them learn how to care for their own when they reach reproductive age.
An amazing example of the power of this experience is the case of a female gorilla named Dolly, who was raised in the San Diego Zoo. When Dolly birthed her first infant, she did not know how to care for him. Dolly was afraid to touch her baby, whom she was sadly unable to breastfed.
During her second pregnancy, the keepers decided to teach Dolly about mothering and breastfeeding. They showed Dolly videos of mother gorillas in the wild nursing their infants and gave her a doll to practice with.
The teaching programme was a success, and she has been able to breastfeed and care for several other babies since then (and this is one of many similar stories).
Given we share approximately 98% DNA with primates, you could say something similar is occurring with women in modern society, tory Breastfeeding education is now more important than ever.
